Average Height and Weight of MLB 1st Basemen (2023)
I’ve been a collegiate sports performance coach for 20 years. One thing I always felt was effective was showing guys the heights and weights of players at their position in the pros.
It helped give many players the extra motivation needed to gain weight when they were able to compare themselves to guys at the next level.
So, this is essentially the same research I would share with players, but now I’m sharing it with you. I took the 40-Man Rosters for the 2023 Major League Baseball season, almost 1200 players total and broke them down by position.
For this guide, I took an average of the heights and weights of the 49 1st basemen across the league. In addition, just for fun, I listed the tallest, shortest, heaviest and lightest 1st basemen as well. Go ahead and impress someone today with your newfound random baseball knowledge.
Average Height of an MLB 1st Basemen
The average height of a major league baseball 1st basemen is 74.18 inches (just over 6’2″).
Average Weight of an MLB 1st Basemen
The average weight of a major league baseball catcher is 221.78 pounds.
Who Are The Tallest 1st Basemen in Major League Baseball?
There are over ten players listed at 6’4″, but the 4 tallest guys at 1st base are all 6’5″.
| Tallest 1st Basemen in the MLB | ||
| Player | Height | Team |
| Freddie Freeman | 6’5″ | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Michael Toglia | 6’5″ | Colorado Rockies |
| Garrett Cooper | 6’5″ | Miami Marlins |
| Matt Olson | 6’5″ | Atlanta Braves |
Who are the Shortest 1st Basemen in Major League Baseball?
Being tall definitely has its advantages at 1st base, but there are a handful of guys that are under 6’0″ tall.
| Shortest 1st Basemen in the MLB | ||
| Player | Height | Team |
| Luis Arraez | 5’10” | Miami Marlins |
| Josh Naylor | 5’11” | Cleveland Guardians |
| Ty France | 5’11” | Seattle Mariners |
| Spencer Steer | 5’11” | Cincinnati Reds |
| Carlos Santana | 5’11” | Pittsburgh Pirates |
Who are the Heaviest 1st Basemen in the MLB?
Here are the five heaviest guys in the league, all 250 pounds or more.
| Heaviest 1st Basemen in the MLB | ||
| Player | Weight | Team |
| Josh Bell | 261 | Cleveland Guardians |
| Ji-Man Choi | 260 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Rowdy Tellez | 255 | Milwaukee Brewers |
| Triston Casas | 252 | Boston Red Sox |
| Josh Naylor | 250 | Cleveland Guardians |
Who are the Lightest 1st Basemen in the MLB?
Here are the four lightest guys in Major League Baseball, all weighing 190 pounds or less.
| Lightest 1st Basemen in the MLB | ||
| Player | Weight | Team |
| Luis Arraez | 175 | Miami Marlins |
| Spencer Steel | 185 | Cincinnati Reds |
| Owen Miller | 185 | Milwaukee Brewers |
| Spencer Horwitz | 190 | Toronto Blue Jays |
Final Thoughts
So, what did I learn?
Being tall can be extremely beneficial for playing 1st base so it shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s the second tallest position (on average) behind only pitchers. Being able to reach for balls that are a little off-line is much easier when you’re 6’4″ plus, as more than a dozen guys in the league are.
Along with being taller than other positions, 1st basemen are also one of the heaviest positions as well, second only to designated hitters by a couple of pounds and ten pounds bigger than catchers who are third.
However, even though bigger guys are the norm for the position, there are some smaller guys like Luis Arraez at 5’10” and 175 pounds that prove that almost anything is possible.
Finally, if you’d like to see the full position-by-position breakdown, check out the average heights and weights of major league baseball players by position.
